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The new Wallaby jersey was unveiled this week, and I couldn’t help but notice how … yellow it was. It was more yellow than it’s ever been.

It’s more yellow than that primary colour we’re given to mix on a palette in year four.

It’s more yellow than a yellow-bellied traitor.

It’s more yellow than a lemon or, as many fruit radicalists like to call them, a yellow.

How a jersey can be more yellow than the very incarnation of yellow is a matter for another day, but just know that this jersey is really, really yellow!

There are calls from many in the universe, the Twitterverse and the dactylic-verse to see the Wallaby strip resume its former shade. Where’s King Midas when you need him?

But it seems the ARU, and the PR department, and whoever else makes these decisions is intent on seeing Wallaby gold move with the times and become Wallaby fluoro-yellow.

So I got to thinking (dangerous, I know).

Why would the Wallabies jersey-makers want to make it that colour? Surely it’s given the go-ahead by notables within the ARU hierarchy?

Robbie Deans probably had a look in there somewhere, as did the senior players.

Well, looking back almost a year now, I have found the answer.

Quade Cooper, in September last year, said: “The environment there is one that I don’t feel comfortable in and if I don’t feel comfortable in it, if I don’t feel I can give 100 per cent for my country and for that yellow jersey, that’s a very big problem.”

That yellow jersey. That yellow jersey.

We all know Quade was talking about the ‘toxic environment’ at the Wallabies at the time. Or was he?

I think, on reflection, Quade was actually talking about the yellow-ification, if you’ll allow me to use such an abomination of a word, of the famed Wallabies jumper.

I think Quade thinks the latest incarnations of the Wallaby shirt are an abomination.

And I know Quade thinks I think Quade’s right.

So to all of you who lament the loss of the Wallabies jumper of the 1990s, Quade’s on your side.

To those of you who like a bit of orange to go with your yellow, Quade’s on your side.

He’s sick of seeing the heritage of the jersey being devalued, just as you are, and his passion for the national team won’t be the same until they bring back the jersey exactly as it was all those years ago.

Back to the days where we could be proud of those who wore it. When David Campese was goose-stepping like a maniac; and John Eales was unacceptably tall for a goal-kicker; and George Gregan didn’t have to take four steps and have a cup of joe before he passed to the fly-half.

Let’s bring back those days, say many of my father’s generation. And you know what, baby boomers, Quade’s on your side.

Horrid colour, very disrespectful of the “gold” of eras gone by….almost as bad as the 1999 Reebok jersey. It seems when it comes to commercial negotiations, the ARU is quite willing to sacrifice the Qantas Wallabies image. Well done Bill Pulver and co, just need to focus more on Sydney and that should see the game grow.

The closest Quadecooper will get to a Wallaby jersey this year is if he buys one from the ARU website.

– nicely written article BTW

Back to Wallaby jersey or should that be jumper? Too many fiddly lines on last years versions and the previous Canterbury uglies were mustard not gold so it’s an improvement. Australia’s colours are yellow and green. Nothing wrong with bright colours especially now the games are played at night. Speaking of which what happened to the green? The highlights on the new jumper are almost black. Brighten up the green and bring back green and yellow hooped socks for the Wallabies while they are at it. That’s my 2 cents.

Green and Gold as in Wattle. The national emblem, the real one. The older jerseys were a kind of orangey looking thing so I don’t think it’s too bad. A realer looking gold like in some of the Cricket merch looks awful so yellow it is I suppose. Wattle is pretty much green and yellow – so be it. Good article btw Paddy.

I think that depends on what you consider an article Billy Bob. It’s certainly formatted as if it were an article. Some might call it satire. Others might say it’s just nonsensical drivel that doesn’t belong on such hallowed pages. But I’ll leave it to you to decide!